The Patriarch of Antioch and the President of Syria discussed the situation of the Christian community

Patriarch John X of Antioch met with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa at the Church of the Virgin Mary in Old Damascus. The main topic of the dialog was the challenges faced by the Christian community in the country, as well as the issues of strengthening national unity and common values of the Syrian people.

According to Orthodoxia.info, this meeting was the second for the spiritual leader and the head of state in recent months. Their first meeting took place after the tragic bombing of the Church of the Prophet Elijah in June. According to the official statement of the Patriarchate of Antioch, the aim of the current talks was to strengthen national unity and promote common values.

The discussion between the Primate of the Greek Orthodox Church of Antioch and the head of state focused on the problems facing the Christian population of Syria. This meeting is considered particularly significant as it comes at a time of heightened attention to the situation of Christian communities in the country.

Recall that on June 22, 2025, during the Sunday service in the church in honor of the Holy Prophet of God Elijah in Damascus (Syria), a member of the radical Islamist organization “Islamic State” committed a bloody terrorist attack that killed 22 people. The terrorist stormed into the temple, opened fire on people, and after shooting blew himself up with an explosive device attached to his body.